Lift truck Truck Training
In order to be given certification as a lift truck operator, you must undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck. The training course should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type which you would be using on the job location. Training should also reflect the environment in which you would be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anybody utilizing a lift truck must undergo training and certification prior to assuming operator duties. Basic credentials for utilizing a forklift include an age minimum of eighteen years and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a main concern of any lift truck driver. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machinery or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and forklift drivers must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents often occur on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions can result in a hazard and drivers should know potential hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification programs include a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training must be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments which will be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Every year roughly 100 people die in forklift accidents. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. The majority of these accidents can be avoided with proper operator training and attention to safety.